A Tree Bumble for Waldridge

Tried a bit more lamping for moths last night. Nothing new but again quite a few moths feeding on the salix. Mainly Orthosia moths, Common, Small & Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character and Clouded Drab. A Pine Beauty was also feeding here. I also tried checking a few willow by the entrance to the woods as there is a group of Grey Willow (the hybrid between White Willow and Aspen). These mature trees I am sure are the source of many of the moths that appear in the garden and feed on the poplar family. Though these trees are hybrids, these seen are more Aspen-like than White Willow. One species I have not had is the Lead-coloured Drab which feeds on Aspen and though scarce up here I thought they may be present. No luck last night but I reckon it's worth a shot a few more times in the next couple of weeks.

Micro moth Diurnea fagella

Pine Beauty

The paddock's Great spotted Woodpecker has started excavating a new nest hole in a Silver Birch in the adjacent wood but still only the single Chiffchaff so far. Last night's Tawny Owls continued to hoot and a Woodcock flew over,
The highlight of the day was in the greenhouse. There were a number of bumble-bees in the garden, White-tailed, Buff-tailed and Large Red-tailed but one that got briefly trapped in the greenhouse was not one of these. A ginger bumblebee with a black abdomen and dirty-white tail, this was one I hoped for soon... a Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum. This species has been rapidly moving north since it was first reported in the UK in 2001 and it has now arrived in Waldridge